Massage-vibrator.



No. 866,610. PATENTED SEPT. 17, 1907.

- w. J. BELL.

MASSAGE VIBRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.8. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

C0,, WASHINGTON, D. f? I NO- seegsio. PATENTED SEPT.1'7, 1907. W. J. BELL. MASSAGE VIBRATOR.

APPLICATION FILED OUT-8.1906.

2 SHBETS-SHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER .l. BELL, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL L. KISTLER, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

MASSAGE-VIBRATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1'7, 1907.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER I. BELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful MassageVibrator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanical massage instruments and the main object of the invention is to provide for securing a character or form of vibration of the vibratory applicator which will be most effective in its action on the muscles or other accessible tissues of the patient; a further object being to provide for securing two distinct vibratory movements of the applicator one movement being in a plane parallel with the surface of the tissue, and the other in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the tissue; either movement being available according to the treatment required.

A further obj cct is to provide a simple and effective means for adjusting the movement of the applicator to cause it to operate with a coarse vibration, or with a fine vibration in which its movement although being at the constant rate, may be so fine as to be only barely perceptible, any intermediate degree of vibratory pressure being easily secured by the adjustment means which are afforded.

A further obj eet is to provide a portable instrument which may readily be manipulated and controlled by one hand.

he accompanying drawings illustrate the invention and referring thereto:*Figure l is a side elevation of one form of the invention with half of the spherical casing removed. Fig. 2 is a front elevation partly in section on line (c -x of Fig. 1.. Fig. 3 is a perspective in detail of the operating head and its lever. Fig. 4 is a detail, partly in section of the adjustable eccentric. Fig. 5 is a diametrical section through the adjustable eccentric on line x a; Fig. 4:. Fig. 6 is a perspective in detail of the pivoted eccentric plate. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of another form of the invention with the protecting casing removed. Fig. 8 is a front elevation, with handle removed, of the invention with the casing in place. Fig. 9 is a detail in front elevation, enlarged, of the adjustable eccentric. Fig. 10 is a section on line .r r of Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a side elevation, with the casing removed, of another form of the invention.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, 1 design ates a spherical easing formed of two detachable shells 2 and 3, which are united by screws 4. Within the casing 1. is an electric motor comprising a field 5 and armature 6 which is mounted on a shaft 7, the ends of the shaft being mounted in journals 8 formed in the casing 1. The casing 1 is equipped with a handle 9 secured thereto by screws 10. The circuit through the motor may be controlled by spring contact blades 11 and 12, which are supported apart by a washer 13. The contact blade 12 is provided with a push button 14. having a shoulder 15, the button extending through an orifice 16 formed in the casing 1. The circuit may be closed by pushing in the button 14 by the thumb of the practitioner, and as it is pushed in the blade 12 causes the button to swing in a circular path which causes the shoulder 15 to snap back of the edge of the orifice 16 and hold the blade 12 in contact with the blade 11 after the thumb is withdrawn from the button. To break the contact the shoulder of the button 14 may be released from its engagement with the edge of the orifice 16 by pressing the thumb slightly against the side of the button 14, whereupon the blade 12 springs back to normal position out of contact with blade 11. As the form of electric motor is immaterial to the invention it is unnecessary to describe the motor in detail.

Projecting from the casing 1, is a block 17 consisting of members 19 and 20, the former being carried on the shell 2, and the latter being carried on the shell 3, the two members 19 and 20 having lugs 21 for the reception of screws 22 which hold the two members firmly together and also act, with the screws 4, to hold the two members of the casing 1 together. Mounted in block 17 is an operating head 23 which is provided with a pivot 24, which is retained in place by a set screw 25. One end of the pivot 24- is received by a conical recess formed in the member 19 of the block 17 the other end of the pivot is mounted in a conical recess formed in the end of a pivot screw 26, which is screwed in the member 20 and which is provided with a lock-nut 27 the screw 26 affording means for adjusting the pivotal bearings of the pivot. Projecting down from the operating head 23 is a short arm 28, to which is pivoted a sliding head 29 by means of a screw 30, the head 29 having a recess 31 which receives the short arm 28 and permits the outer face of the short arm 28 to lie flush with the adjacent face of the sliding head 29. The two members 19 and 20 of the block 17 each have semicylindrical recesses forming a slide-way for the head 29, and the member 20 has a vertical recess 32, as shown in Fig. 1, which per mits the play of the arm 28. The operating head 23 and sliding head 29 are both provided with threaded sockets 33 for the reception of the threaded stud of the applicator 35. The applicator may be of any desired form of construction. Projecting rearwardly from the operating head 23, is an off-set lever 36 which is curved to bring its rear end to a point just inside of the journal S of the member 3, as shown in Fig. 2. The rear end oi the lever 2 6 isiormed with a fork 3 7 and is split at '38 to enable the space between the members of the iork 157 to be adjusted by means oi a screw 39, as shown in Fig. 3.

All adjustable eccentric is mounted on the shait 7 and is shown in detail in Figs. 4 and 5, comprising a plate -10 which is iastened to the shait 7 by a pin -'i1 and has a pair oi perforated wings 42, as shown in Fig. t, an adjusting screw -13 passing through the wings 42 and being retained in place by heads i4 and 45, the latter head being slotted to enable the screw 43 to be turned by a screwdriver. An eccentric disk 46, shown in detail in Fig. 6. is pivoted by a screw 47 to the lower end of the plate it"). and its upper end has a threaded wing 48 which engages with the adjusting screw The periorations in the wings 42 are slightly larger than the screw 43 to permit the necessary lateral movement oi the screw 43 when adjusting the disk to. The disk 46 has an annular bearing 49 which encircles the shait 7 and mounted on the bearing 49 is a flanged bushing or thimble 50, and the iork 37 oi the lever 36 projects over the thimble 50. As shown in Fig. 2 a washer 51 is arranged at the outer edge oi the thimblc 50 next to the journal 8 to prevent undue lateral movement oi the iork 37.

In operation. the button 14 having been pushed in, as the motor revolves. the lever 36 is oscillated on the pivot 24 by the adjustable eccentric. and imparts a lateral movement to the applicator when screwed in the operated head, as shown in Fig. 1. That is to say. the applicator is moved substantially in a plane parallel with the plane oi the tissue to which its iace may be applied. Its movement is not strictly rectilinear. but has a slightly curved path owing to its location at one side oi the pivot. and this slightly curved path oi movement is highly advantageous as at the beginning oi its movement irom either limit of its vibratory stroke the pressure against the tissue is comparatively slight and increases as the applicator approaches the center oi its stroke. so that there is not such an abrupt action against the tissue at the beginning of each vibration as would be the case ii it had a purely rectilinear movement. Oi course, in operation its vibration is extremely rapid and this refinement oi graduated pressure during its vibratory stroke is not particularly perceptible when the length oi vibration is minute. In a coarse vibration, however, this gradu ated vibration is more apparent as the stroke of the applicator is longer and its movement is more sharply defined. The rate oi vibration, that is, the length oi stroke oi each vibration. may be regulated by adjusting the eccentric. This is done by turning the screw 43 to rock the disk to on its pivot 47 to vary the eccentricity oi the annular bearing 37 with respect to the shalt 7. In use, the amount oi vibration may thus be regulated to suit the judgment oi the practitioner. By attaching the applicator 35 to the slide head 29 the action oi the applicator is toward and from the tissue thus giving a vibratory jarring eiiect on the tissue, while when in its iormer location the eiiect on the tissue is more oi a kneading eiiect. This latter motion oi the applicator may be regulated to the desired degree in the same manner.

In Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, is shown another form oi eccentric and lever. The lever 36 has a iork G0, the inner edge oi each member oi which is carried on apin (52 which projects irom a worm gear (33 which is mounted on a pivot oi. The pivot (ii is seated in a recess iormed in a disk (55, which disk is rigidly mounted on the shait )y means oi a set screw (56. The disk is drilled a line at one side oi the shait to receive a worm 67 which meshes with the worm gear 63, the worm 67 being retained against longitudinal movement by a pin (38 which engages a groove 69 iormed in the shank oi the worm 67. The worm 67 has a slotted head '70 to enable it to be turned by a screwdriver to vary the eccentricity oi the pin 82 with respect to the Sllitit? '7 In this iorm the shell 3 oi the casing 1, is flattened, as shown, and the lever 36 passes out through a recess 71 iormed in block 20, the lever 36 extending to a point outside the flattened iace oi the shell 3. The disk (35 is mounted on the shaft '7 outside oi the shell 3 and the lever 36 and adjustable eccentric are protected by a casing 72 which may be iastened to the shell 3 by screws 73. the casing 72 having a curved extension which reaches to the block 20 and completely houses the lever 30. The remaining mechanism in this iorm is similar to that oi the iirst iorm. I have shown a spherical applicator attached in this iorin instead of the button shaped applicator shown in the previous iorm.

Fig. I]. shows another iorm in which the lever 36 iiistead oi being slotted and connecting directly with the pin 62. has a curved arm 75 which is connected by a link 7G with pin (32.

While I have shown and described three iorms oi the invention. other iorms may suggest themselves, to one skilled in the art which iall within the spirit oi the invention as deiined in the claims. In case a one mo tion instrument is desired, the head ior the other motion may be omitted.

What I claim is:-

1. in combination. an applicator, an operating head for carrying the applicator, shaft. an eccentric on the shaft, means operated by the eccentric for operating the head, and means for varyingthe eccentricity oi the eccentric to vary the vibratory stroke of the applicator.

2. In combination. a casing, a motor in said casing. a block extending from said casing. said block being rec sed, an operating head in the recess. a pivot extending through the operating head. the block having a seat for one end of the pivot. a pivot screw in the block and having a seat in its end for the other end of said pivot. a sliding head in the block below the operating head, an arm extending from the operating head and pivoted to the sliding head, means for attaching an applicator to either the pivoted head or the sliding head. an eccentric operated by the motor. and a lever extending from the pivoted head and having a forked end en; the eccentric.

2;. in combination. a t s1 :1 motor in said casing. a block extending i'rom said ca ing, a pivoted operating head in the block. a sliding head in the block. means ior attaching an applicator to either the sliding head or the pivoted head. an arm on the pivoted head for operating the sliding head. a lever extending from the pivoted head, an eccentric on the motor shaft comprising a disk fastened on theshatt'. a plate pivoted to the disk, the disk having win 's. a screw mounted in said wings. a wing on the plate eng ging the screw. an annular bearing carried by the pivoted plate. said lever having a forked end, a block sliding in said end and mounted on said annular hearing.

4. In combination. an applicator. electrical means [or operating the same, and a circuit closer comprising a stationary contact and a movable contact, a push button carried by the movable contact and having a shoulder adapted to engage a stationary abutment.

5. An elect ic circuit closer comprising a stationary contact and a spring contact, and a push button carried by the spring Contact and locking automatically when pushed in and releasable by a lateral movement.

(5. In combination, an applicator, means for operating the applicator comprising a forked lever, an eccentric engaging the fork of the lever, the lever being split beyond 10 the fork, and means l'or contracting or expanding the members of the terlc to adjust it to the eccentric.

1n testimony hereof, l have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California this 1st Clay of October 1906.

WALTER J. BELL.

in presence of An'run'n L. Ks 1on1, FRANK L. A. GRAHAM. 

